Sidelined shortstop Hanley Ramirez said he expects to get the cast removed from his right hand this week.

With the cast stabilizing his surgically repaired right thumb, Ramirez is already taking grounders, throwing and hitting one-handed. He remains hopeful he could return to the lineup by the middle of next month.

“I’ve been doing everything,” said Ramirez, who underwent surgery March 21 to repair a torn ligament in his thumb.

Ramirez said he doesn’t know what he will and won’t be able to do once his cast is removed.

“Let’s see how everything feels when I get the cast off,” he said.

Ramirez said missing opening day was difficult.

“It’s my first time that I miss opening day,” he said. “It’s not easy.”